West Chester resident Susan Sutton — a beloved former art teacher at Great Valley High School — has died at 77, writes Gary Miles for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Sutton spent 26 years at the high school, sharing a large art room with her husband of 53 years, Bart. She taught ceramics, weaving, jewelry, and sculpture, while her husband specialized in painting.

The pair worked together, and their students moved between the specialties.

“The kids always wondered how we worked together,” said Bart Sutton. “They were fascinated, always watching us. It was the best situation in the world, and it worked because we had a common interest.”

Although naturally shy, Sutton was gregarious and outgoing in her classroom. Many of her students expressed gratitude for her friendship and attention.

“She was a very special lady who helped develop me into the woman I am today,” wrote a former student in an online tribute. “I was always inspired by her go-get-it spirit, and by the love shared between her and Bart.”

Read more about Susan Sutton in The Philadelphia Inquirer.